Novak Djokovic narrowly advanced past China’s Wu Yibing in a challenging first-round match at Wimbledon on Tuesday, highlighting the difficulties the 39-year-old seven-time champion faces in his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title. Djokovic secured a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory after a tense four-set battle that marked his first match since the French Open.

The Serbian veteran displayed remarkable resilience against Wu, currently ranked No. 102, whose powerful groundstrokes pressured Djokovic throughout the contest. Despite hitting 19 more winners than Djokovic, Wu’s inconsistency under pressure, especially on his forehand, ultimately cost him crucial points. The match was marked by moments of physical strain for Djokovic, who appeared to be stretched to his limits while retrieving balls and managing the pace demanded by the younger opponent. The closing of the roof midway through the match altered conditions, benefiting Djokovic as he secured a timely break and eventually closed out the match.

Djokovic faced distractions from the crowd, which frequently chanted Wu’s name following his points, and struggled to find his usual sharpness. Still, his experience prevailed in the crucial moments, saving multiple break points in the fourth set before breaking Wu’s serve at 4-4 to set up a second-round test against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Reflecting on the match, Djokovic acknowledged the challenge posed by his opponent and expressed relief at the win despite feeling less than fully fit.

Earlier on Centre Court, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner defended his Wimbledon title with a hard-fought victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, surviving a five-set thriller that ended 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3. Sinner, 24, who had not competed since an unexpected early exit at the French Open, struggled with unforced errors and an erratic start, allowing Kecmanovic, ranked No. 50, to seize early control.

Kecmanovic served strongly and capitalized on Sinner’s mistakes, forcing the third set into a tiebreak. During the match, Sinner suffered a fall early in the third which caused visible bleeding through his shoe but did not deter him. After trailing two sets to one and confronted with a challenging physical test, Sinner rallied to dominate the final two sets and avoid an upset reminiscent of his French Open loss.

Sinner acknowledged the nerves associated with opening on Centre Court as defending champion and cited the need to improve moving forward. He described the injury as less severe than it appeared and emphasized the normal difficulties faced in first-round matches at a major tournament. His win sets up a potentially significant campaign as he seeks to reclaim his standing among the sport’s elite.

Both Djokovic and Sinner’s performances underscored the demanding nature of Wimbledon’s early rounds, where experience and composure are critical against hungry, lower-ranked challengers.